Collaboration and innovation : the way forward for Gozo

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the need for the diversification of the Gozitan economy. During the past months the Chamber has published two important documents: ‘Post COVID-19 – Strategic and Policy Document’1, and ‘Rethinking our Economy – GBC Budgetary Proposals’2. These documents outline the Chamber’s vision for the diversification of the Gozitan economy, a vision based on considerations that we need to plan for the long term in order to have a sustainable economy which can benefit Gozitan society as a whole. This article is based on the considerations, and analysis outlined in these documents. The Chamber is seeing two potential areas of economic growth for Gozo, mainly the Green Economy, and Digitalisation, two areas which the Government is seeing as having substantial potential, not only for Gozo, but for the economy in its entirety. Nonetheless, there are also some underlying issues which need to be resolved in order to enable progress in these and other economic sectors which can assist in the diversification of the Gozitan economy. These issues relate principally to transport and connectivity, public infrastructure, and putting the right incentives into place in order to attract the right type of investment.